Cricket's
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- Apr 2, 2011
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My name is Cricket. I have been watching your site for a couple of days and you are a wonderful bunch of people, loving, supportive, caring and helpful and above all welcoming. I am hearing but have had several deaf friends at different points in my lifetime. When I was young i went to mainstream school for the first half of each day and a "special school" for second part of the day in Denver Co. called The Diagnostic Center. (Thats all i remember about the name...I asked my mom and she doesn't remember either...it was almost 40years ago!) Back when I was a kid they hadn't come out with the title of "ADHD" yet so they just called me "emotionally disturbed" and sent me to the the cast off school. At my special school I was exposed to all the children they did not have the time or the patience to deal with in regular school. I loved going there. There were some deaf and blind children there and I was taught how to sign the abc's and a couple of basic signs. For some reason I never forgot what they taught me because i never used it again until I was grown up. Also through life's lessons I learned that "titles" suck! Both good and bad. When you put a title on a child you are limiting peoples perception of the child also limiting the child's perception of his/herself.
I didn't meet my first deaf friend until I was about 30 yrs old. I got a job at Disney World and met
J. He worked in the kitchen and I worked in housekeeping. I was shocked to see how some of the people at work treated him...Adults....and they were making sly comments...and outcasting him!! I made friends with him and took an ASL 1 course at The Disney University. He helped me with my sign. I remember one time my car broke down and I needed to carpool with J He drives just fine, but he is used to being in the car alone.....I had to sign: " Please don't talk and drive....it scares me!!!"
My experience with J inspired me to write a poem....This is where i get cast out as a "hearie" or accepted. I hope you guys will tolerate me on your site as i love brushing against deaf culture and can learn alot
r
I am once again trying to learn sign language as fast as I can...God has sent a deaf person into my life who needs my help. She went deaf when she was 36years old. She could hear at 100% and 3 weeks later she was deaf! I can't imagine how scarry that would be. Two years after she lost her hearing she was fitted with a CI and she can hear. She says she hears at a 20 sec delay....She has asked ME to teach her sign language....I told her I don't know that much, but I would be happy to teach her what I can...and she would have to go to a formal class after that we try to meet twice a week.
I am using lifeprint.com I have passed the test myself up to lesson 18 at 95-100% but my facial expression and receitive skills need alot of work!!
Anyway I guess i got over my shyness!!! P.S. I don't know how to post pic on site...
THE SOUND OF SILENCE
I have a challenge for you
Think for a moment what a deaf man goes through
What't it like to have no ears?
There is no sound, none, he can't hear
-
Would you be frightened, full of fear?
In a world where people expect you to hear
A car horn blast
Still you don't move fast
-
No ticking of the clock
A mouth moves as someone talks
You wonder what they have to say
When there mouth moves around that way!
-
People think you dumb
But your mind is as sharp as anyone
Language is a problem, people don't understand
You have to try harder just to prove your a man
-
And when you do talk, people stop and stare
Reflections of pity and curiosity, you can see it there
You are sharp at reading people's faces
Of their thoughts, they leave many traces
-
Talking about you as if you aren't there
That you can read their lips, they are not aware
And your the dumb one!
The fun has only just begun
-
If only they knew, If only they could understand
That your being deaf is part of God's plan
That most of what you pick up is what your told
so you don't get the stuff in the world, that makes sinners so bold
-
A beautiful person who's heart so clean
Missing all that negativity makes you serene
That is why I hold the deaf so dear
Sometimes I wonder why God wanted me to hear.....
I didn't meet my first deaf friend until I was about 30 yrs old. I got a job at Disney World and met
J. He worked in the kitchen and I worked in housekeeping. I was shocked to see how some of the people at work treated him...Adults....and they were making sly comments...and outcasting him!! I made friends with him and took an ASL 1 course at The Disney University. He helped me with my sign. I remember one time my car broke down and I needed to carpool with J He drives just fine, but he is used to being in the car alone.....I had to sign: " Please don't talk and drive....it scares me!!!"
My experience with J inspired me to write a poem....This is where i get cast out as a "hearie" or accepted. I hope you guys will tolerate me on your site as i love brushing against deaf culture and can learn alot
rI am once again trying to learn sign language as fast as I can...God has sent a deaf person into my life who needs my help. She went deaf when she was 36years old. She could hear at 100% and 3 weeks later she was deaf! I can't imagine how scarry that would be. Two years after she lost her hearing she was fitted with a CI and she can hear. She says she hears at a 20 sec delay....She has asked ME to teach her sign language....I told her I don't know that much, but I would be happy to teach her what I can...and she would have to go to a formal class after that
we try to meet twice a week.I am using lifeprint.com I have passed the test myself up to lesson 18 at 95-100% but my facial expression and receitive skills need alot of work!!
Anyway I guess i got over my shyness!!! P.S. I don't know how to post pic on site...
THE SOUND OF SILENCE
I have a challenge for you
Think for a moment what a deaf man goes through
What't it like to have no ears?
There is no sound, none, he can't hear
-
Would you be frightened, full of fear?
In a world where people expect you to hear
A car horn blast
Still you don't move fast
-
No ticking of the clock
A mouth moves as someone talks
You wonder what they have to say
When there mouth moves around that way!
-
People think you dumb
But your mind is as sharp as anyone
Language is a problem, people don't understand
You have to try harder just to prove your a man
-
And when you do talk, people stop and stare
Reflections of pity and curiosity, you can see it there
You are sharp at reading people's faces
Of their thoughts, they leave many traces
-
Talking about you as if you aren't there
That you can read their lips, they are not aware
And your the dumb one!
The fun has only just begun
-
If only they knew, If only they could understand
That your being deaf is part of God's plan
That most of what you pick up is what your told
so you don't get the stuff in the world, that makes sinners so bold
-
A beautiful person who's heart so clean
Missing all that negativity makes you serene
That is why I hold the deaf so dear
Sometimes I wonder why God wanted me to hear.....
Welcome! And the poem brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much, very heartful!
to AD! Hope to see you around more often! 
I think having a friend like you is a rare find.
